1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of containers with lids, specifically, lids adapted to be removably attached to containers. One example of such a container is a beverage cup, such as beverage cups fabricated from plastic or Styrofoam which are typically used to hold a flowable substance such as hot coffee or the like and which are adapted to receive removably attached lids that are press fit onto the rim of a cup. Other examples of such containers include, milk jugs with threadingly attached lids, pill bottles with tamper-proof removably attached lids, laundry detergent bottles, paint cans and any other container that is adapted to receive a removably attached lid. More specifically, in one embodiment, the invention relates to an improved beverage cup lid which is adapted to mount onto the rim of a beverage container in an open position by removably attaching a lid retaining channel disposed in the top of the lid to a rim of the beverage container. The container lid of the present invention allows a user to removably attach the lid to the rim of a container in an open position, so that, in the example of the beverage cup, condiments can be added to a contained beverage or a beverage can be consumed while the lid is removably attached to the cup in an open position, thus allowing the lid to be retained for further use.
2. Background Art
Containers, which include but are not limited to beverage containers, such as disposable coffee cups, iced drink cups, milk jugs, pill bottles, salt and pepper shakers, dispensing containers, such as those used to dispense sugar or flour, and other containers having removably attached lids have been marketed and used for many years. The containers of the prior art may be typically constructed of an inexpensive material such as Styrofoam®, plastic such as, for example, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic, paper, or some other light weight material suitable for containing a substance. Recently, certain recyclable and biodegradable materials have been selected for use, for example, in beverage and other containers. Such biodegradable plastics are typically derived from renewable sources such as starch and vegetable oil and can be decomposed into water, carbon dioxide and non-toxic compounds at the end of their life stage, and, as such, are engineered to be broken down by enzyme producing organisms. Biodegradable containers are increasing in usage as environmental concerns grow over time.
Typically, containers are also supplied with removable lids that are designed to removably attach to a rim of the container by, for example, a press fit onto the rim of the container, or, alternatively the lid may threadingly engage with the container rim in order to keep a contained substance, which may be a flowable substance such as for example a beverage, detergent, or any other flowable substance from splashing out of the container and, in the case of a hot beverage example, to keep the beverage from rapidly reducing temperature due to heat transfer from the hot beverage to the atmosphere. In the more general sense, the same desire is present for containers that contain other flowable substances or non-flowable substances such as, for example, sugar, flour, spices, pills contained in a pill bottle, liquids, discrete items such as small fasteners, coins or any other items stored in a container. It is therefore usually desired that a container also be supplied with a lid to prevent spillage, thermal loss as in the coffee example, contamination, and the like.
However, the container lids of the prior art are prone to becoming lost or accidentally discarded when removed from the container by the user. The lid may be removed by the user, for instance, when the user desires to add condiments such as creamer, ice, sugar or other sweetener, or any other product the user desires, to a beverage contained in a beverage container. The container lids of the prior art are usually light weight and therefore may be blown away from the user by the wind, causing loss of the lid. The result of the loss of the container lid, in this example, is that the beverage is no longer effectively prevented from splashing out of the container, and furthermore, if the beverage is a hot beverage such as, for example, coffee or hot cocoa, it will cool much more rapidly than if a lid were utilized, and may therefore become unacceptable for consumption by the user. This same limitation holds true for other containers of the prior art such as, for example, milk jugs, pill bottles, reusable food storage containers, and the like.
What is needed therefore is a container lid that is adapted to attach to a typical container in an open position such that the lid is not lost or accidentally discarded while the container is being accessed by the user and is therefore retained for further use as desired by the user.
The apparatus of the container lid of the invention is adapted to meet this existing need in the prior art by the novel features described and claimed herein.